I can now officially say that I am no longer a blog virgin. Welcome to my first post! However, I’m told that if I’m not willing to blog once or twice a week, I might as well not start. So, here goes with an early 2008 New Year’s resolution—blog!! I have to admit that I feel as though I’m talking to myself, but I guess that’s never stopped me before… 
So here goes. This one will be short and sweet.
My last two decades as an entrepreneur and inventor have been exhilarating, to say the least. I got my start in my early 20’s by creating scalable voicemail that took hold around the world to become the predominant version being used globally today. That background helped me open a few doors in other change-the-world endeavors such as Gracenote (CDDB). http://www.gracenote.com
My primary focus these days is ChaCha, a search engine I thought of nearly 20 years ago—during those voicemail days. I needed some information for two speeches at separate conferences in
I started my speeches by walking up and down the stage talking to myself. The people in the audience probably thought I’d lost my mind. After several long seconds of this, I would reveal that I was talking to the concealed mobile phone in my ear (obviously sci fi in the days of “brick” cell phones). This imaginary phone had an embedded speech recognition agent in the network that was doing a credible job of representing the century-old switchboard operator who would know not only the new restaurant in town but what people were saying about the best thing to order on the menu or which waitress to avoid.
In addition—in this pre-Web era—this “agent” operator had access to the entire Library of Congress and could give me any tidbit of information that I might need. It was a grand dream at the time that dazzled my audiences, but, sadly, the enabling elements were not in place to build a real product. So, I spent the next years building the best voicemail platform on the planet.
About ten years later, by coincidence, I found myself at a dinner event seated next to Kurt Vonnegut. I pitched that same idea about “Library of Congress in your ear” to him. To my surprise, he hated the idea. I wasn’t sure if he was kidding me. “How could you NOT want such a capability?” I asked. He proceeded to tell me how he preferred to wander over to the neighborhood library, settle deeply down into his chair, and look furtively over his glasses to watch the young (female) library helper reaching for the top shelf to replace a book–so he could look up her skirt. Vintage Vonnegut. Further probing revealed that, for him, it was all about “the experience”!
Luddites notwithstanding, about two years ago, I felt like the stars had aligned: When I couldn’t find the information I needed from Google and Yahoo for a speech I was giving to the President’s Council of the National Academies, I called a couple of friends (VC’s and CTO’s), who quickly referred me to specific sites on the Web that fulfilled my research needs. I realized how valuable a service like that could be. The light bulb went off—we had the Web, there was excellent connectivity between human experts, and the technology platform was affordable. So I felt it was time to call my fellow entrepreneur friend, Brad. And ChaCha was born. (Visit Brad’s blog — http://blog.bradbostic.com )
ChaCha is the first search engine to use human brainpower to provide the most relevant results in real time. There’s plenty on that topic at www.chacha.com/info/press.
In a future blog, I think I’ll talk a bit about why disruptively attacking a mature (past peak?) industry in downdraft conditions (e.g. book publishing, music, newspapers, movies, etc…) is similar to piloting a helicopter that has lost engine power!
14 Responses to “Do or do not….. Here goes!”
Congrats, Scott!
This blurb:
“In a future blog, I think I’ll talk a bit about why disruptively attacking a mature (past peak?) industry in downdraft conditions (e.g. book publishing, music, newspapers, movies, etc…) is similar to piloting a helicopter that has lost engine power!”
got my interest piqued for your next post. Keep ‘em coming!
By Justin on Dec 28, 2007
The industry that is primed for a totally new approach is textbook publishing. Students paying $1000s for rehashed content.
Great learning resources are freely available all over Web, often published under a Creative Commons License. The challenge is that teachers, professors, students, and self-learners cannot easily find the most appropriate content and learning resources mapped to their state curriculums, 101 courses, etc.
The search engine that can capture and organize these resources would be the #1 destination site for the youth of the world. imagine a menu of age appropriate learning objects that can be easily selected, sorted and shared.
Combine this site with an online LMS with the interface of facebook (where teachers can sort and deliver the learning materials, and students can share and collaborate), and you would have a compelling disruptive solution.
You would find willing sponsors and advertisers for many subjects areas. IBM, Microsoft etc. would be lining up to sponsor and advertise around Computer Science and IT curriculums. Johnson & Johnson could sponsor Nursing curriculums.
Students could be linked to the career opportunities that their educational tracks suggest.
The possibilities are endless.
I would love to see your thoughts and I look forward to seeing your future blogs.
By Alan Bower on Jan 2, 2008
Hey Scott,
Congrats on the new blog. I look forward to following the tales of a true entrepreneur.
Andrew
By Local SEO Guide on Jan 5, 2008
Scott- Read your blog and the FSB article on you and I have to say- it re-enlightened and revitalized me. Being a partner in a technology based business, we sometimes get discouraged when ‘others’ dont see what we see. Especially Lenders.
Your story and perseverance is what I needed to start the year off. Being in northern new england, our customers are more conservative when dealing with technology, so patience is a necessity.
Thanks
By Joe DiStefano on Jan 10, 2008
Great blog Scott,hope to see more soon and please talk about the blimp also.
By Gary on Jan 13, 2008
Where is the upside in transportation ie fuel costs and larger cars and trucks, what is the new frontier for todays youth?
Liked your write up and Cha-Cha, great idea!
By Martin on Jan 13, 2008
“A foundation is but the base and it is the collection of building blocks that creates what many should strive to ascend.” Ricky J. Fico
So, you had now joined the bandwagon and wrote a blog entry. Well done, informative, inspiring! Perhaps the star had aligned once again.
Your idea is a great idea, as most of them I am sure have been. Another one of my philosophies: “An idea is nothing more than a mere abstraction of a concrete undertaking.” Ricky J. Fico
ChaCha is a revolutionary idea and as a Guide and User I had taken part in its evolution thus far. I am happy with the latest advancements. More User-Friendly and responsive!
And as far as piloting a helicopter that has lost its engine power, well, that happens. What choice does one have except pray for a miracle. Or build a better helicopter.
By Ricky J. Fico on Jan 15, 2008
Scott, congratulations for your blog ¡¡ If you will categorize the results of your blog for the numbers of comments posted, you will remain your entrepreneurs resources: Never give up ¡¡
So, i would like to know what its the aim of your blog. Because, sounds interesting for me what you talking about, and sounds more interesting the issue of your next poste (i would like to read your opinion about the music and books industry.
If you’ll categorize your blog for where coments come from, may be there is a good news, i’m from Uruguay (sout america), but i work trohugh Argentina and Spain and i live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where i’m taking lunch right now and experiment Cha-Cha (and yes, i’m spanish native speaker).
Keep a step forward, Carlos.
By Carlos Taran on Jan 18, 2008
Used Chacha last night after reading your article in Fortune magazine. Loved it! It improves on every search engive that I have used. I am a teacher, my kids will love the extra features that ChaCha gives them. Thanks Scott for your help. tlw
By Tom Winchester on Jan 20, 2008
Scott- Love the post, love ChaCha, love it. Looking forward to your next post! Also, hoping to catch your talk next month in Redwood City. Cheers!
By Molly Butters on Jan 30, 2008
Hi Scott;
I read the Fortune magazine article about you…
You are absolutely an “outside of the box” kind of business man…
You are not alone.. there are alot of people like you, but with one notable exception.. most of the others have not been able to achieve the kind of socioeconomic standing that you have been able to achieve. For that alone, you are to be commended.
One interesting thing I saw in the articule.. You can’t stand negativity.. you feel as though it stifles the creative process… That is the standard mantra within the sales community…
What sales mgrs don’t know (or care about) is that there is actually a biological component to that…
Just like a runner gets “runners high”.. a sales person perfroms better when they are thinking positively.. because of the adrenalin rush in their
brain….
Your “office” is a geeks dream… but I don’t see the keyboard:)
By Robert B on Feb 9, 2008
Very Nice Site! Thanks!
By Brytney on Feb 12, 2008
After reading of ChaCha today (and seeing your name associated with it) I tried it out. The aggregated results from the web search are average, but the live Guide-assisted service is very good.
Knowing the success of Gracenote, kudos for launching a great “onlive” (rather than just online) service.[http://blogs.msdn.com/mthree/archive/2008/02/16/customer-service-via-search-021608.aspx]
By M3 Sweatt on Feb 16, 2008
Hello
In this day and age it is recognised that there are many entrepreneurs but not many with the forsight to think of the children in this wide world, many of which do not have the opportunties and ability to express themselves how they would like. Your Foundation I hope will help to change at least some of those lives if only sometimes in a small way. It is every children’s right to have the freedom to play and learn whilst experiencing that, however many children never get to realise that freedom.
Good luck Scott with your Foundation, I hope many children have the opportunity to meet you and your team.
By the way I would love to slide down your fab mahogany slide at your home, even though I’m a 60’s girl!! Young at heart I suppose! From Jenni, Sheffield, England.
By Jenni Raine on May 6, 2008